Thaler

The first half of the 17th century was a period of growing thaler production in Germany. The driving force behind subsequent issues was usually the expenses associated with the Thirty Years' War. However, the silver coins referred to as guilder pennies or guldiners – as the term thaler became popular at the end of the 16th century – were minted in the Reich at the beginning of that century. These coins, along with the thalers from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, are rare and sought after by collectors. One of the rarest ones is the 1604 thaler minted by the ruler of the Duchy of Jüllich-Cleve-Berg, Johann Wilhelm (1562-1609). During the reign of Johann Wilhelm, thalers were minted sporadically, which makes them highly unique, especially more than one. Johann Wilhelm is depicted on them in a manner typical of thalers, in particular those minted during the Thirty Years' War. He is wearing armour, gripping a rapier in his right hand, with a mace in his left hand – an attribute of a military commander. The image is very intriguing because we know that he was hardly a warrior. Disliked by his ailing father and exhibiting symptoms of mental illness himself, he hardly had any opportunities to learn about governing a relatively wealthy but fragmented country. As a result, after the death of his father Johann Wilhelm, the authority was taken over by officials. Chronicle accounts show that the lack of political successes, as well as not having an heir, led to worsening mental illness and lack of any interest in state affairs. Minting new coins was undoubtedly one of them, since the wealthy state limited the minting of coins almost exclusively to small denominations. After the heirless death of Johann Wilhelm, the duchy disintegrated.

Mieszko Pawłowski